Friday, Jan. 7, 2000 | 9:37 a.m.
The mostly new edition of "Splash" in the Riviera showroom is greatly improved over the most recent editions.
That tired old tank on center stage is gone, good riddance. Bela Tabak's Riders of the Thunderdome are held over, one of the most exciting acts on the Strip -- four daredevil motorcyclists whirling about in the Globe of Death, a 14-foot sphere of metal mesh. It is also one of the noisiest acts on the Strip.
American Open Figure Skating Pro Championship gold and bronze medal winners in 1998, Irina Grigorian and Mikhail Panin, perform incredible feats of ice dancing, adagio and show skating, including show-stopping hoop spinning by Grigorian, aloft as well as on ice. Panin contributes some juggling on the ice, and together they perform a classic excerpt from the opera "Carmen."
There are three more excellent specialty acts: Los Latin Cowboys, Jorge Dipaola and Hugo Latorre, originally from Argentina. The Richard Brothers, Mexican jugglers, and an incredible contortion artist, Undarmaa, from the Far East. Tribute artists include Beyondka as Janet Jackson, Kenny Wiz as Michael Jackson, Joy Lynn as Madonna, Smokey Jr. as John Travolta and Nicole Navarro as Cher.
Highly respected choreographer Nick Navarro is credited with the new opening and closing numbers, doubling as artistic director. Several production segments within the show are holdovers as well.
On the night caught, there were innovative laser credits followed by an opening scene depicting a ship -- the Titanic while still afloat -- and the full company. There was an ice skating adagio number, which was well-received, followed by the three Richard Brothers, who are third generation entertainers. They juggled clubs, rings, hats and boxes, all at breakneck speed, with occasional comedy touches. They gave the production a big lift at this point.
Next came a production sequence, which started with a Vogue fashion set, followed by "Oh, What A Circus," an "Evita" tribute, a "Dirty Dancing" sequence, Smokey Jr. with a Bee Gees number and a John Travolta disco number, and an excellent Cher to close. Some revision and perhaps a deletion or two should be in order here.
This led to the ice skating team and the "Carmen" number, an ensemble sequence, with juggling and the unusual hoops on skates closer. The next scene was a video music holdover that opened well with a tap dance sequence by Jason with laser graphics, followed by "Scream," "If," "Beat It" plus a Michael Jackson dance-alike and "Jam." The show could save nine minutes or so minus this, logistics permitting.
Contortion artist Undarmaa's six minutes brought "oohs" and "aahs" from the audience and heavy applause throughout. Then it was time for a festival number with "Blade Runner" overtones, followed by Bela Tabak's Riders of the Thunderdome, introductions and bows, ending an hour and 40 minutes that sent an audience home apparently satisfied.
We want to credit the superb adagio work of a "Splash" 11-year veteran, Gino Venezia, and his fine new partner, Carri, recently with "Enter The Night" at the Stardust.
It should also be noted that the specialty acts work only five days a week. Los Latin Cowboys, exciting and very funny, were off the night we were there. The show has to be much stronger when both the Los Latin Cowboys and the Richard Brothers are performing. The show is on seven nights a week, at 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. If one of these acts is your favorite, check to be sure they will be working that night.
In review, the show's pacing seemed uneven. Our preference would have been the opening, as is: the first ice skating sequence, Los Latin Cowboys, the Vogue segment (hopefully revised), Undarmaa, the Richard Brothers, the motorcyclists and the finale. On the night caught, with Los Latin Cowboys off, Undarmaa should have been in their slot, with the Richard Brothers preceding the Riders and the finale.
archive
